5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Getting my First Guide Dog

[@justinharris754]

Another great video. I'm in the process of self training my dog right now, and it's so easy to question whether or not you're doing things right, and beat yourself up when you don't, but even with all that said, adopting my dog was one of the best things I've ever done, and I wouldn't have imagined back when I got her that I would be training her to do this. In school, just about everyone told me I didn't have good enough skills for a dog, and that it wouldn't be a good fit, but even though we still have a lot to work on, this dog has given me a confidence I never had before with a cane, and I've used a cane my whole life. I understand what you mean about all the extra attention being frustrating, but it can also be a positive I think, as I think people respond in a more positive way to a dog vs a cane. But, I'm also an extrovert, so it really depends on your personality. With my dog, I'm still trying to figure out how to handle potty time. For the longest time, I have just opened the door and let her out to go do her thing, but before she can travel, I need to get her used to going on leash with me close by, maybe touching her back, and then keep her in one place when she's done. Right now, she doesn't want to go with me right there, or if she does, then she moves right after finishing up, so then cleaning up the mess becomes a lot harder. But if we are ever going to travel, we have to get this down, because while it might not be a problem at home, my friends that I go to visit aren't going to want dog poo all over their yards.

[@howesitgoing2894]

As a puppy raiser for the Leader Dogs for the Blind, I completely agree with the whole thing being emotional. Any time my puppy would mess up I would feel so terrible and that wasn’t something I thought would have to deal with.

[@lizvdp8066]

Thank you so much for mentioning the upkeep of training! So many people forget this and then indeed the dog won't behave as well anymore. Trainers put in so many hours and seeing one of the dogs go backwards is honestly heart breaking. It's also the main reason why my program asks all handlers to meet up with one of our trainers/evaluators at least once a year, so we they can check if the dog is still up to standard and if needed handlers will be asked to come into training again for a month or two (one day a week in the evening). All handlers know that when they apply with us and if they don't agree or can't take care of the dog as needed anymore the program sadly has to take the dog back under our country's law system. These dogs cost way too much to see all that training go to waste. Especially with waiting lists as long as they currently are.

[@LivingWithLowVision]

Thank you so much for your video 💜 I've been recently matched with my first seeing eye dog in Australia and start training in January. I'm a mother with a 3 year old with behavioural needs and speech delay. I'm very determined and I was lucky to have well trained pet dogs in the past. In my world I normally find myself arguing with preschooler about not touching and grabbing my cane.

[@christinalaty9268]

I appreciate that you made this video. I am waiting for my application to be approved by Guide Dogs for the Blind and I’m very excited

[@fromkaytozee8132]

Yay that's awesome! Good luck, you'll be great :)

[@christinalaty9268]

Thanks! J got approved and will be going to get my dog in May after the semester is over!

[@ChristianSullivan]

Thanks for your perspective! Most of this, I was aware of these things for a long time. Before I applied at My guide dog school.

[@haleynicole3311]

I am a freshman in high school with a vision disease and color blindness. my vision is 20/600. I use an iPad Pro for school to be able to connect to the teacher’s smart board. Whatever comes up on the board comes up on my iPad! I am currently in the process of getting a guide dog. This video helps so much! Thank you ❤️

[@kaytlynnhines4017]

As a vi person I desperately need to know how you do this!

[@haleynn0118]

@@kaytlynnhines4017 Hello there! Thanks for the reply:) I’m currently a senior this year and heading to college for fall 2023. My vision is now 20/800. The app that was used to connect to the board is called Join.Me, which is a app where you will have the app on your ipad and the teacher will have the app on her laptop that she uses to do things on the smart board with. If you have a vision teacher through your county or someone that helps you through your journey of being visually impaired, you should talk to them. The school or county should then pay monthly or yearly for the app for you to have it on your iPad and for all of your teachers to have it on their laptop as well. When you do have it, they can set up a one time password that you will use to connect to the teacher’s board in every class. You will see everything that is on the board directly from your ipad! It’s so great and really helps! I know a lot more options and tools to help when being a visually impaired student. I have a word document of the exact instructions for the Join.Me if you are interested. Just let me know :)

[@asecretcourtofcrowsandcloc4084]

I am planning on applying for Guide Dog in the near future and found this to be very helpful. Thank you very much for making the video.

[@fromkaytozee8132]

Yay that's so exciting!! I'm glad my videos can help you out :) Best of luck to you and your future dog!

[@asecretcourtofcrowsandcloc4084]

Thanks so much. Yes I’ve been finding all of your videos very helpful.

[@judyives1832]

Thanks for the honest video. I LOVE my guide dog and he gives me so much freedom but you are totally right that it takes time and work! I see lots of people complaining that they were turned down for a guide dog because they weren’t mobile enough and isn’t that the purpose of the dog but a successful team is 50/50. Both have equal responsibility.

[@saizai]

Have you considered getting cards printed with the usual FAQs? I started making one for both "annoyingly nice" and "WTF is wrong with this sightie", but never got around to finishing it. Am thinking again about getting an assistance/guide dog, and would probably just get too irritated to do the whole spiel for every damn person, so I figure handing out a card might help interrupt the "but why can't I pet the dog" etc stuff when I'm not up for being Token Blindie.

[@casse.5122]

Just found your videos. I go for my guide dog training next week at GDB for my first guide dog. Originally I was supposed to get him on Feb 14th, but things got delayed due to snow and college finals week. I am not young - but I appreciate how you focus on college life with a guide dog because it fits where my life is headed right now. Do you have any videos on dealing with your guide dog around young family members, such as ages 1-6yrs old?

[@GuidedPilates]

Thank you this was really helpful. I literally just got my guide dog on Monday and we are in our first week of training. I was beating myself up a lot about doing things wrong as well and if he wasn't as confident or doing something that he should be I blamed myself. I've realised now that we are both learning together. How was your dog when you first did a harness walk? Apparently my dog is usually quite confident but he's not as confident with me on the harness yet but I guess that will come over time right? Thanks again x x Emma xx

[@crystalgentry9133]

Hi I am 35 years old and totally blind I do not have a guard dog but I do have an emotional support animal who just happens to be a dog really enjoy listening to your videos and also have a question if you don’t mind my asking just found your channel today or I would watch all of your videos right now my question is what do you use to edit your videos and how do you put them up and how do you use a camera when you can’t see if you don’t mind my asking thank you so much

[@fromkaytozee8132]

I use iMovie, and I'm just legally blind, so I can see well enough to set up my camera. I don't always get myself centered or get it to look perfect, but I can set it up well enough on my own.

[@mayahmcwherter3554]

Just a question can you as a handler pet your guide dog well they are on harness

[@fromkaytozee8132]

Yes! The purpose of other people not being allowed to pet him is so he knows to only focus on me instead of getting distracted when he sees other people around. When we're crossing a busy street, for example, he has to be thinking 100% about getting me to the other side safely, not trying to beg the other people crossing the street for attention. He knows that if he ignores everyone else and focuses on my safety, he'll get lots of praise from me once we get across. There are a lot of different training methods, but my dog was trained using almost exclusively praise rewards instead of food rewards, so I pet him when he does a good job as a reward.

[@mayahmcwherter3554]

From Kay to Zee I am really considering getting a guide dog so I was just wondering but I know quite a bit about guide dog

[@miaparra4432]

Love this video!! Do you have an Instagram?

[@viziblestripez]

Hi! Are you a new jersey handler? Cause I am! I'm in central jersey!

[@fromkaytozee8132]

Oh cool! I'm actually from Pennsylvania, but my dog is a Jersey boy. He's from the Seeing Eye in NJ.

[@kellylattimore5234]

It just kind of seems like to me no one prepared you for having a dog and you were done a great disservice by nobody preparing you for this journey

[@Waltoncash]

Can she sees a little or she's 100% blind?

[@endezeichengrimm]

I suggest reading the channel description. It indicates that she is legally blind.